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DLA opposition won’t go away

26 July 2012

Ever since the government unveiled its plans for sweeping
reform of the welfare system, there has been one area that has
received constant opposition; proposed reforms to disability living
allowance (DLA). Throughout the consultation period and the first
reading of the Welfare Reform Bill, MPs, social care experts and
service users have voiced their concerns about plans to abolish the
mobility component of DLA for people in residential care and cut
the overall DLA bill by 20%. The feeling among critics is that it
is motivated by savings, rather than helping vulnerable people.
This opposition isn't going away either. Rather, it is gaining
momentum and is now getting mainstream national exposure, rather
than just within the sector. Indeed, in yesterday's Guardian an open letter to the
government, signed by more than 100 MPs, MSPs, AWs and social care
experts and professionals and service user groups, called for the
reform of DLA, and other "anti-disability" provisions that will
place extra pressure on social care and social services, to be
removed from the bill. Additionally, the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) has revealed that it received 5,500 responses to the
consultation on DLA reform which ended on February 18. Of that,
about 5,000 were from members of the public and 500 were from
disability organisations. The DWP has admitted that this is one of
the department's biggest ever consultations. This should give the
government an idea of the strength of feeling against these
proposed measures. Given that DLA is a not one of the largest
benefits, in terms of number of claimants, that response is huge.
However, Maria Miller, minister for disabled people, remained coy
over whether this response would have any impact on the
government's plans, according to Community Care. While nobody is arguing
that welfare reform is needed - and has been for years - what it
must not do is make people worse off than they were before;
something these reforms would seem to do. But whether the DWP
listen is another matter. The government has followed its cuts
agenda with unerring zeal thus far so a change in position cannot
be expected. It seems the drive to cut the national deficit takes
precedence over all other considerations. However, time will tell.
The bill gets its second reading in the Commons today [Wednesday,
March 9].